


Gently - Ridiculously So

by The_Meridian_Complex



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Anakin can't handle not fixing everything, Angry Anakin Skywalker, Blood Loss, Blood and Injury, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano Friendship, Clone Brothers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy Medicine, Hurt/Comfort, I don't understand how midi-chlorians work, I love Kix, Major Character Injury, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Medical, Medical Device, Medical Trauma, Midi-chlorians (Star Wars), Pain, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Anakin Skywalker, Protective clones, Rex being the best, Vulnerability, Whump, injured ahsoka tano, is it rexsoka?, it would probably be inappropriate for it to be rexsoka, why do I hurt my favorite characters?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:33:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28763382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Meridian_Complex/pseuds/The_Meridian_Complex
Summary: Routine reconnaissance gone wrong!On the rim ocean planet of Scarif, increased activity and transmissions have been noticed by the Republic, indicating a potential new separatist manufacturing base. ANAKIN SKYWALKER, and his padawan, AHSOKA TANO are sent to search the planet for signs of the enemy. The survey mission may seem like a tropical getaway to the 501st but danger lurks below the surface...
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 29
Kudos: 87





	1. Underwater

**Author's Note:**

> I am back and writing emotional/medical/whump fics because I know no other way of life.  
> I hope you enjoy this first chapter!
> 
> May the force be with you!

_One cannot take on another's pain, only help them bear the weight_

Routine reconnaissance gone wrong!

On the rim ocean planet of Scarif, increased activity and transmissions have been noticed by the Republic, indicating a potential new separatist manufacturing base. ANAKIN SKYWALKER, and his padawan, AHSOKA TANO are sent to search the planet for signs of the enemy. The survey mission may seem like a tropical getaway to the 501st but danger lurks below the surface...

* * *

The wide expanse of uninterrupted ocean put Anakin on edge as he led the survey and dive teams along the narrow island. It reminded him eerily of Tatooine with its never-ending sun, sky, and openness. Was water really any better than sand? Being surrounded by nothing, no one but the potential to be swallowed by the unforgiving environment. Needless to say, the sun had barely come up and he was already on edge. There was no cover here, no place to hide, and, it would seem, not another living thing for miles around. He wasn’t so naive though, there was always something watching. But the ocean, unlike the sand, could hide unknowable things in its infinite deep. 

Anakin, who couldn’t stand the silence and the looming deep of the water a moment longer, motioned to the troops to stop their caravan on a satisfactory flat piece of sandy island. The clones gladly put down the surveying equipment but waited for their general to direct the setup with rapt attention.

“Ok men, let's get this started, I don’t want to be on this rim bathtub a moment longer than we have to be.” 

Anakin was already getting sweaty and he still had to squeeze into the wetsuit.

“Why does the General hate this world so much? It's a tropical paradise for kriffs sake!” Fives whispered not so subtly to Ahsoka, ignoring a glare from Rex.

“I’m not sure, maybe he has sand in his boots. Force knows I do!” She giggled back. 

“We are here for two jobs only. Rex’s team will be drone surveying islands from here, looking for ports or construction while we check out the energy readings from this area’s reef. Should be short but we will send updates through the comm center here to coordinate any movements.”

“Alpha team come with Ahsoka and I, Beta team report to Rex for setup instructions”

At the general’s words, a flurry of activity commenced as each team began their survey operations. Tents were constructed, a comm center erected, and the Alpha team men began donning their wetsuits.

“Snips! Get over here, we have to get ready!” Anakin’s voice was slightly more harsh than usual, causing Ahsoka to hastily end her conversation with Fives with a mock-annoyed shake of the head. 

Anakin noticed her play annoyance with a less than pleased look before unceremoniously pushing his padawan into the changing tent. 

“Ahsoka, I’d like you to keep this professional today, we have work to do. Don’t let me see you distracting the men again.” 

His voice was low as to not attract the attention of the clones changing into their wetsuits but attention was still on the Jedi nonetheless.

“What’s the matter, Skyguy? It’s a simple recon mission, basically a vacation! I mean, look at this place, Master, it's beautiful!” Ahsoka said, refusing to allow her master’s bad attitude to cloud the tropical warmth of the day.

“Since when is anything we do ‘simple’ my young padawan?” Anakin still would not relax,

“and if anything, the fact that this place is beautiful is going to distract everyone even more. Force knows that someone is going to make a mistake, it better not be you, Snips.”

“Oh so you’re just gonna be grumpy cause of the nice weather?” Ahsoka teased, elbowing her master playfully in the ribs.

“That's enough out of you, Ahsoka. Put on your suit before I leave you here with Rex”

“Maybe you should” Ahsoka grumbled quietly as she pulled her wetsuit from where Jesse was sitting on it.

Pushing the clone playfully aside, Ahsoka sat down and began pulling off her skirt and shirt, leaving only her leggings and compression bra on underneath. It might have been awkward for some, but Ahsoka had all but grown up with these men, seen them in the showers more times than she could count and changed in front of them all. It wasn’t unlike the Jedi crѐches; gender didn't really mean much in the temple and the 501st were all like brothers to her now. 

The banter in the changing tent, however, was much different than the crѐches. Even if she hadn’t known Mando’a, it was more than obvious that the boys were rowdy, excited, and looking to blow off steam surrounded in water like at home, but sunny and beautiful in ways that, figuratively and literally, blew Kamino out of the water. 

After joining the 501st, Ahsoka had quickly picked up Mando’a but admittedly most of the words she knew were bad enough to get sent out of the room by Master Kenobi, which did not dissuade her from using them at every opportunity.

This time being no different, as she pulled off her normal leggings, and attempted to pull the tight wetsuit all the way up her legs.

“Feir'Fek! Ni'duraa! Sooran, shab suit!”

“Kriff Ahsoka, where in the Force did you learn all those?!” Jesse finally finished with his own suit, began helping work her’s over her hips.

“Haha like you didn’t teach me every one.” Ahsoka snorted.

“Hey! What about the ones I taught you?! Jesse isn’t cultured enough to know ‘Ni'duraa.’” 

Fives interjected as Jesse and Ahsoka finally zipped up her suit.

“Oh for Force sake you three! Will you shut the kriff up! This _isn’t_ shore leave, and you _aren’t_ children. We have a job to do and I suggest you all MOVE. That's an order!” Anakin practically bellowed.

Even for Anakin it was harsh, Jesse and Fives looked slightly nervous while the three shinies practically fell over themselves to get out of the tent. 

Directed by Ahsoka, Alpha team hauled the heavy propellered sea gliders into the water, secured flippers, and lined up for suit and tank inspection.

Anakin, who had left the tent with his suit only half on, returned from his discussion with Rex, now fully dressed, his mask and respirator obscuring his face but his annoyance still plainly evident in the Force. Not bothering to shield from Ahsoka, she could feel his tension tightening her own muscles.

Anakin’s bad mood didn’t just prickle Ahsoka in the Force, but was plainly evident as he came up to her and wordlessly began to check her suit and tank, and then again from the beginning when he saw a single snap on her belt had come undone. Ahsoka rolled her eyes unnoticeably under her own mask as she continued to wait patiently, knowing the only way Anakin would calm the kriff down was if he could check her over to his heart's content before letting her go and scolding her for being so slow.

It was kind of endearing when Anakin fussed over her, but tendrils of concern krept in as well. He was acting weird for such a potentially fun-filled mission.

Anakin brushed Ahsoka off when she tried to check his gear, instead turning to Rex to check him over before running through everything himself afterwards anyway.

“Ok, let's do this.” Ahsoka called to the men once her master was ready.

* * *

The water was lovely and cool, a welcome contrast to the heat of the sand and sun which almost made Anakin feel sorry for Rex, stuck on shore - almost.

Speeding along on the underwater gliders, Alpha team was already making significant headway, dodging around sharp edges of the reef before making their way out into the deeper sections.

The reef was deserted, a sharp, dead husk. Nothing moving and no sign of the sentient life they were searching for. 

A shrill warning in the force penetrated every cell in Anakin’s body mere seconds before he saw the dark shadow casting down on them from the lighter water above.

_What the -_

So Ahsoka had felt it too. Her question hanging in the Force like the warning surrounding them.

“Back to shore!” Anakin screamed over the comm only seconds before the creature came into view.

“Blixus!” Was the last thing anyone could make out from Ahsoka’s comm before a tentacle wrapped around her leg, pulling her towards the giant sea beast. 

Keeping her faculties, she easily cut through the tentacle with her lightsaber crackling in the water. 

Trying to swim back towards Anakin and the sea glider, she just barely caught a glimpse of Jesse and Fives and had enough time to question why they hadn’t escaped per Anakin’s orders before the blixus, angered and hurt, wrapped another tentacle around her neck.

Dragging her to its gaping beak, she valiantly struggled, unable to breathe as it constricted. Another tentacle wrapped its way around her abdomen. This one, however, was studded with sharp spines that plunged into her abdomen the moment it grabbed her.

The water around Ahsoka and the blixus bloomed an orange-red as the spines tore into her mercilessly.

Anakin could practically taste the blood from his distance, feeling pain radiating off Ahsoka like the plumes of blood. Anger quickly filled him, pushing out any other feeling. He had never force dashed in water but found that he was almost immediately within range of the beast the moment he tried. 

Lightsaber ignited, blue in the blue water, he began to slash at the beast, keeping it’s spiny tentacles away from him. It was short work to cut Ahsoka down in his state but the blixus only grabbed her again, thrashing her around. Anakin barely had time to note how her head flopped with the motions. 

Unable to grab her, he instead plunged his lightsaber into the creature as it was distracted by Ahsoka and the pain of its severed tentacles. Finally, the beast filled the water with black, viscous blood, and died, slowly sinking into the deep, still holding Ahsoka, skewered on its spikes, dragging her down.

Anakin followed the blood, rust and black, swirling downward. Dutifully, Fives and Jesse piloted the sea glider down to him, speeding up the dive to retrieve Ahsoka. They reached her quickly but Anakin feared not quickly enough. In the dark blue of the deep water, surrounded by cloudy blood, it was impossible to tell if she was still alive except for the low cries of the force as it swirled with the blood around her. Finally reaching her, Anakin cut the tentacles around her abdomen and legs, refusing to look at the punctures, seeping blood into the water. Cradling her in his arms, Anakin allowed Jesse to hold him on the glider as Fives slowly piloted it upwards. 

Jesse could feel the bile rising in his throat as he dared to look down at Ahsoka. Her eyes were half-closed, her head lolled back, and a small tendril of blood was swirling from around her respirator. 

Anakin resolutely refused to let go of Ahsoka to even reposition her. When Jesse tried to readjust her head, he could hear Anakin growl at him through the comm and quickly drew his hand away. 

The assent felt like it took hours. Even longer as the blood continued to surround Ahsoka’s limp form. There was certainly enough time for Fives to communicate the situation to the surface, though Anakin barely heard. He never took his eyes off Ahsoka’s face, holding her in his metal grip and stroking her arm softly with his other hand. 

  
  


“Rex, we are making a quick ascent towards the beach.” Fives was unusually calm in his report.

“Copy. The shines said Ahsoka got hurt?” Rex sounded much less calm.

“Yes. It's bad, Captain. The Generals got her but there's a lot of blood… Have Kix ready and a med evac, too. But warn them to be careful, the General isn’t gonna take kindly to anyone trying to touch her.” 

“Copy. We’ll be ready.”

* * *

Jesse and Fives all but dragged Anakin on to shore as he gingerly held Ahsoka’s body. The bright orange-red trail of blood they left behind them on the wet sand made Rex dizzy as he ran towards his men to help, Kix immediately behind him.

The other clones began to gather, shinies in horror and Ahsoka’s friends unsure how to help. Jesse and Fives refused to move from Anakin’s side as the men approached but Anakin was quickly showing his discomfort at his men’s stares, clutching Ahsoka even tighter. She was really bleeding now and Kix nearly got his arm cut off trying to get to her.

  
“Everyone get back! That's an order!” Now faced with the reality of his commanders’ condition, Rex was calm in keeping the perimeter around Skywalker clear. 

He grabbed both Jesse and Fives by the backs of their wetsuits, hauling them away from Anakin, allowing the medic to tend to Ahsoka in a slightly less stimulating environment. He ignored their protests, throwing them into the changing tent.

“I am going to need you two to help out for a change. Debrief with the Resolute, check the status of the med evac, and tell Pill all the information you know.” Rex could only hope that was enough to keep them from panicking.

Now he just had to worry about the General… He couldn’t think about Ahsoka just yet, her blood still splattered across his mind. 


	2. I am with you. The Force is with us.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before moving an injured Ahsoka into a tent for medical care, Kix must triage the worst of her injuries and stabilize her for the short trip.  
> Anakin is left to calm and comfort a padawan in shock, who cannot comprehend what has happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the love!
> 
> I am writing this mostly as a warmup when I am writing academic applications. Depending on how busy I am, I may post more or less but either way, I should have at least one chapter a week (hopefully).
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Anakin’s chin pressed up against Ahsoka’s montrals as he cradled her, both still laying together on the beach. 

He could not bear to look down at his padawan’s abdomen, or his hands trying to stop the bleeding, which, even through gloves, felt sticky with her blood. Instead, he pressed his face further into her head feeling her padawan beads, whispering into the Force,

_ Ahsoka come back to me! You cannot let go now… I need you here! Ahsoka wake up! That's an order! _

He only withdrew from the deep reservoir of the Force when his cheek felt the cold of Ahsoka’s montrals, normally almost hot. He dared look at her face now. Around the goggles and respirator, her orange skin was ashy pale and the blue of her montrals had turned an ugly gray, the white stripes almost translucent. She made no sound, shrouded by unconsciousness, in the Force, however, he could hear her scream, though it sounded far off and muddled.

In the real world and the Force, his men around him were becoming unignorable. Though many had backed off slightly, their concern was louder than their voices. Kix was right beside Anakin crouching down, but not daring to touch Ahsoka without the general’s permission. A well-trained medic, he could still assess the damage from a distance. 

Ahsoka was bleeding - a lot. It was probably a good thing she had the respirator on as long as she did, but blood was seeping out of the corners of her mouth more quickly by the moment. He didn’t have much time to help her and was relieved when Anakin finally looked up, eyes scanning, briefly wild, meeting Kix’ with a mixture of panic and relief before becoming Jedi-clear calm once more - nothing but a mask. 

That was all the permission Kix needed. In an instant, the medic and two assistant clones were upon them.

Med-kit in hand, Kix quickly gave orders to replace the respirator with an oxygen mask, bring the stretcher nearer, and to clear out one of the tents. Without wasting more time, Kix unceremoniously began injecting gauze pellets into the deeper wounds. Expanding in the blood, they clogged the worst of the wounds until only small streams of blood soaked into the remnants of her dive suit. He still had a medic clone apply pressure with bacta gauze on her abdomen to stem the last of the bleeding while he tied a tourniquet on her damaged leg. 

While Ahsoka seemed mostly unconscious during their ascent to the surface, once her respirator came off and an oxygen mask replaced it, she began to regain some consciousness, the process accelerated as others touched her, seemingly punching at the holes in her stomach. As shock set in full force, her small body began to shake uncontrollably. Anakin, no longer able to hold her as Kix worked furiously, instead cradled her head in his lap. Eyes never leaving her, hands around her cold form, trying to warm her in the Force.

_ Oh, my padawan... _

“You need to keep her conscious and as still and calm as possible, Sir.” Kix didn’t look at him.

“Getting ready to move her is probably going to hurt - a lot. She is disoriented and scared so just try to get her to calm down and breathe if she can. ”

I am pushing painkillers now but I doubt they will make much of a difference until we can get her the strong stuff. We can’t risk giving her a sedative until we know if she has spinal damage.”

Ahsoka was certainly conscious for now. As the medic pressed down hard on her injured stomach she let out a half-shriek followed by an uncontrollable cough. The inside of the mask was suddenly painted orange-red, making bile rise in Anakin's throat. 

She shook her head violently at the needles being stabbed into her wounds, thrashing despite Anakin's calming touch. Suddenly her eyes flew open.

“Snip-!”

“‘An’kin! An-. Ahh” She lets out another cough, her eyes open and frantically searching for her master’s face.

“Hey. Shhh. Ahsoka, I’m here. You’re safe. You’re gonna be ok but I need you to breathe.” 

Anakin tried to keep his voice calm though he was anything but. 

He shielded his own fear and uncertainty from her as best he could but would not block himself off as the waves of panic crashed over them both. It was his calm alone that would get her through.

_ Be still, young one. I’ve got you. _

Feeling Kix and the medics setting braces and stemming the bleeding, Ahsoka jerked suddenly from Anakin’s hands, trying to see what the clones were doing to her as they continued to poke painfully at her wounds, their hands covered in blood as well.

“You need to keep her still sir. Fives mentioned she was jerked around by the creature so we don’t know what spinal damage she might have. She won't like it but you need to hold her head.”

As the pain and panic increased, so did Ahsoka’s desire to move, to thrash away from the hands of the medics and even from Anakin. It pained him too, to have to hold her still when it was clear she could not understand why they were hurting her and why Anakin was allowing in. 

“Mas’er… please… no” She whimpered. Her breath coming too short and too fast, obvious even to him. 

The pain is making Anakin dizzy. He couldn’t imagine what she must be feeling as hands and gauze pressed into her open wounds, but he could feel the force around them screaming. And Ahsoka… She was screaming too. Well, Anakin was sure she would scream if she could. Instead, her mouth was opened, her eyes squeezed shut as she let out a quiet, high wail, unable to get the breath to do anything else. 

Anakin firmly held her head between his large, steady hands, nudging her in the Force to take a breath. He tried to model it for her as well but realized he could not. The hand on her cheek was wet, this time not so much from blood as from tears. He had never seen her cry before. Not even when she had been hurt, not even when she thought she was going to die on Geonosis. And now… now she was crying so hard that she had no air left. And when she did finally try to breathe, she only managed a few short, shallow gasps before crying out again.

Anakin was forced to move slightly away from her, his hand grabbing hers, not letting go but her panic growing as Anakin disappeared from view and was replaced with Kix. She could not look at Kix, instead violently trying to move her head - to search for her master who had apparently abandoned her.

“An’kin!!! Help!”

Her cries stabbed into Anakin like the kriffing beast who hurt her. She could not understand that he  _ was  _ helping her - he knew this and still had to restrain himself from pushing Kix out of the way. He had to get a hold of himself or Ahsoka would be able to feel his own turbulent emotions through the Force and it would only add to her hurt.

  
  


_ Padawan, I am here with you. The Force is here with you. And are with us. _

  
  
  


“Commander, can you hear me? I am going to put a neck brace on you and then we are going to move you. You’ll be alright, I just need you to stay awake for us.”

The neck brace went on with quiet cries that echoed panic and betrayal in the Force. But the turbulence there was quieting as she was. Not as much from the pain medication as Anakin had hoped, but it would seem that with her short gasps of breath she was simply running out of energy to fight. 

“You can come back to her head, General. We really do need to keep her conscious, I can already see her slipping.”

“Ahsoka. I need you to look at me.” Anakin’s tone was urgent but Ahsoka’s eyes were sliding closed.

“Ahsoka! Listen to me! I need to see those eyes.  _ Now  _ Padawan.” He was using his Jedi general voice when all he wanted to do was cradle her and speak softly - to comfort her. He never wanted to see her tears again.

The mostly dutiful padawan that she was, Ahsoka valiantly tried to open her eyes though her body was fighting the movement, just like the shaking that was fighting the blood-loss cold. 

“That's my girl! Keep your eyes on me and you’ll be just fine.” His voice calms but painfully forced through clenched teeth.

* * *

As Rex reemerged from the tent, the cracks in his general’s facade were beginning to show as plainly as Ahsoka’s chattering teeth and shaking showed her dissent into shock. 

Even without force sensitivity, Ahsoka’s quiet cries cut into Rex like blaster bolts. No wonder the General was shaking with her.

“Okay sirs, if we’re gonna move her we need to do it now. General Skywalker, stay by her head, it's going to hurt when we touch her, she will probably try to struggle but we need to avoid that. Try to do the… Jetii thing.” Kix waved his hand vaguely but Anakin needed no more instruction.

“Rex, come help me lift her. She's comfortable with you, maybe that will help.” Kix said it innocently enough but Rex still looked down at the sand, and seeing the puddle of Ahsoka’s blood, instantly regretted it.

“Ahsoka? I’m going to touch you now. We are going to move you and help you. Just… hang on.” Rex wasn’t sure she could even understand him, much less through her tears and weak cries, but he felt like he  _ had  _ to do that much at least.

The moment they lifted her to the stretcher, Ahsoka let out a piercing cry. This time Anakin could not take it, he doubled over, the Force filled with knives, cutting through every nerve of his body. Anakin had to nearly bite through his tongue to stop a scream of his own. Ahsoka’s stretcher moved on, while he panted, crouched over on the cool sand. Rex looked back once, made to move away from Ahsoka and towards the General but Anakin quickly shook his head. Ahsoka needed him more than Anakin did, besides, his captain shouldn’t have to see him like that. The eyes of his men were not unnoticed, but frankly he could not care. He could only focus on not throwing up, especially as his hands made orange-red stains on the sand, echoes of Ahsoka’s blood that he would no doubt find everywhere later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The is actually a real-world prototype of the wound-packing injection I mentioned. It was developed by the US Military to prevent people from bleeding out on the battlefield.
> 
> This work takes a ton of inspiration from the piece "Not Her" by dieFabuliererin (perhaps one of the best writers in the fandom) https://archiveofourown.org/works/24930532/chapters/60336151 
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated! This is unbeta'd for now.


	3. Ahsoka Uncovered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A scared, disoriented, and injured Ahsoka is prepared for evac.  
> Rex and Anakin find themselves struggling to calm or comfort her. Both in the physical world and in the force, Ahsoka is in pain and the people who care for her most will do anything to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is kind of happening in slow motion but I think that is often how crises feel - both fast and slow.
> 
> I am updating frequently for now because I have developed kind of a unique plotline for this story that I am in a frenzy to write. I cannot guarantee that pace will remain this fast but hopefully, I can keep the momentum up. Your comments and kudos always energize me, so thank you so much!
> 
> Tags will be updated at my discretion but won't be significantly different unless otherwise stated- only meant to provide more accuracy when searching through AO3.

Dragging his eyes off Skywalker and the puddle of blood in which he crouched, Rex assumed the general’s position at Ahsoka’s head. The other clones carried her small body with ease but now he was the one who must keep her calm.

“Hey, kid.” Rex said, gently touching her cheek wiping blood away from around her oxygen mask. 

Her big, blue eyes, so heavy as she was dragged down by the shock, opened just enough to look for him. 

“Res-? An-?” Ahsoka slurred the question.

“Skywalker will be back in a minute. I’ve got you now, Kix is gonna take care of you and I’ll be right here the whole time.” Rex answered.

Prompted by a look from Kix, he continued,

“Commander… Ahsoka! I need you to stay awake for a little bit longer. Keep talking and let me see those eyes.”

Rex had done this before, too many times before. How many brothers had he pleaded with to stay awake? How many shinies had he held as they died before they could paint their armor? How many friends did he have left to lose? 

He’d said it all, done it all. Rex felt so old looking down at little Ahsoka, shaking and bleeding on the stretcher.

The Jetii were supposed to be indestructible. Objectively, Rex knew many jetti had died in the kriffing war too, but there was nothing that could touch Skywalker… nothing Ahsoka couldn’t dodge or block.  _ His  _ jetii couldn’t be touched. 

Until they could. 

He could only imagine how angry Ahsoka would be once she realized that she hadn’t been injured in battle but by a chakaar sea beast on a backwater recon mission. 

It would have been almost funny if she hadn’t started to cry as the stretcher was set down in the tent, jolting her wounds and Rex out of his musing. 

Ahsoka made to say something but only let out a gurgling moan followed by a whimper. Rex was experienced enough to know when he was needed to fight, force, and  _ act,  _ and when he simply needed to be, to help, to comfort. He squeezed her hand a little tighter, focused a little harder, and hoped that maybe, even though he wasn’t a jetii, maybe she could feel that he was there with her.

“Good kid, keep talking, keep breathing.” Rex replied. 

She didn’t need to say words, she just needed to stay conscious. 

Rex, himself, couldn’t take a breath until Anakin trudged into the tent. Slightly worse for wear, the general had doffed his gear and stood on the sandy floor in only his leggings and cloak wrapped around him. The blood looked hastily washed off in the ocean, streaks still visible, a reminder to match the worry on his face. 

Ahsoka let out a garbled moan, half pleas, half cries, and in an instant, Anakin was by her side.

“It’s ok, little one. I’m here.” Anakin said, kneeling down at the head of the cot. He kissed her forehead before placing his head beside hers, feeling the force as it bled from her.

_ Anakin…? Help me…? _

_ You are one with the force and the force is with you - I am with you, Ahsoka. Ahsoka! _

Rex, who was crouched by Ahsoka’s left side, holding her hand but staying clear of the medics, did not stand for the general, only nodded to him. He had kept watch- Ahsoka hadn’t been alone while Skywalker was gone.

“They are gonna get her suit off and try to stabilize her. The medical evac should be here soon but they are having some kind of issue with the weather. A storm rolling in quickly or something. Even if they get here soon, it will be a bumpy ride.” Rex never took his eyes off Ahsoka as he gave his report.

Anakin paused, he had barely noticed the blue sky turning gray and black. He had only thought of the orange-red of Ahsoka’s blood on the white sand. 

Rex knew he should be out there managing the troops packing up, but he could not leave-he would not move- from Ahsoka’s side, maybe ever again as he listened to his whimpers and wails. Rubbing her cold hand, Rex was somewhat relieved when she squeezed back faintly and then more strongly as Kix tugged at her suit and gear.

Letting out another blood-spattering cough, Ahsoka once again made to move her head and look around, this time also using her free arm to clumsily push whoever was touching her away.

“Hey, no no no Ahsoka. You need to let Kix help you. Just keep those eyes on me - looking at me.” Anakin had lifted his head again, holding hers between his flesh and metal hands, pleading for her to stay awake.

Gently Anakin took his flesh hand from Ahsoka’s cheek and took the protesting hand in his, ensuring she could not do more damage while also hoping to provide some meager comfort. It felt wrong for him and Rex to be holding the padawan down, especially when her wild eyes made it clear she could not understand what was going on. It hurt - hurt them both- but it had to be done. Both men set their jaws, a much too practiced act.

* * *

The medical scissors were cold against Ahsoka’s skin. As her suit was carefully cut off her, chills wracked Ahsoka’s body making her shake even harder. Her bared skin red and slippery-wet with blood as the flesh grew increasingly pale. 

“Annn’kin!! Aaah help-” Ahsoka wailed and shook, calling for her master. 

“Open your eyes, Ahsoka. I’m here! It's Anakin. Look at me, I’m here with you.”

Ahsoka! You  _ need  _ to keep your eyes open! Ahsoka!” 

“She’s lost a lot of blood, General. The evac better be here by the time I’m done with the wrap.” 

Kix didn’t exactly look worried but it was enough to scare Anakin and Rex. Actually, the whole thing was just... scary. Ahsoka was more or less naked now, her body stained everywhere with blood. Various assistant medics were applying pressure to her wounds as Kix tightly wrapped Ahsoka’s shaking body in thin, duraplast sheets to keep her warm and blood to her vital organs. Her breathes were uneven, shallow, and clotted, her movements jerky, and her pain echoed in the tent nearly as loudly as in Anakin’s head.

Anakin could hear the sounds of the evac gunships landing outside, of the men packing up, and wind whipping the beach. He registered that meant they would be leaving soon, but the thought of moving, of taking his forehead off Ahsoka’s, it was almost too painful to bear. 

_ The force around them cried and screamed and fought now that Ahsoka’s body couldn’t. The terror and pain rang in Anakin’s head and made his scar burn as though he had been branded. He did not move his head though, he did not look anywhere but within. He opened himself fully to Ahsoka in the force, she was simply a ball of light now- dim and pulsing, and outside of noise and cries and pain, Anakin held her in the force, held her away from it all, and tried to carry her pain.  _

_ The little ball of light seemed to melt in his arms, burning him like acid, but he didn’t let go. He was going to feel what Ahsoka felt, maybe she couldn’t release the pain to him, but he could allow himself to be burnt by it, he owed her- _

  
  


“Sir? It's time to go.”

Painfully Anakin opened his eyes, painfully he allowed his padawan, wrapped in bloody plastic, to be taken from the tent, painfully he let Rex drag him on to the medical ship, and- painfully- they left the beach, so sunny and promising a few hours earlier, and now wind-torn and blood-spattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, no beta because I am writing feverishly. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed! Let me know what you think!

**Author's Note:**

> Pill is an original clone medic who, in my mind, is the Resolute's CMO (separate from the 501st) and would be the one to lead serious things like surgery. Kix is obviously my favorite though.  
> Feel free to use Pill if you want!
> 
> The Mando'a in here is very rough and mostly psudo-swearwords. Just pretend they are bad :)
> 
> Thank you for tolerating my unbeta'd work!  
> I really appreciate all feedback!


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